Signs of Bad Wiring

We often remind homeowners of this, and we swear we are not just trying to scare you into scheduling services with us, but—electricity can be dangerous! This should come as no surprise. You know that you don’t want to be shocked by electricity. You do not go swimming in lightning storms. But, for some reason, many homeowners still fail to act swiftly when there are electrical problems in their homes. Don’t be one of them! Prompt action must be taken.

In order to do so, however, you need to know the warning signs of trouble to begin with. A lot of homeowners simply do not realize that there are problems with their electrical systems, particularly so long as the electricity is on in their homes. Today, we’ll look at some signs of bad wiring, one of the most common problems that homeowners may face with their electrical systems. If you see such problems in your home, reach out to us, your trusted electricians, right away.

Outlets or Switches That Don’t Work

If you have a few things plugged into an outlet and they are not working, by all means, go ahead and check your breaker box. If the circuit breaker for that area is not tripped, though, and you still cannot get that outlet or that switch to work, you may well have a wiring problem on your hands. It could be an issue with the fixture, but regardless, you need to have a professional check things out for you.

It is not just a matter of inconvenience. Sure, you can plug your power strip into a working outlet. However, that problem may not be as localized as you think it is. When it comes to your electrical system, “good enough” is just never good enough!

Flickering Lights

Again, you may think that this is just a mild annoyance. We know some people who have simply started using lamps when the overhead lights in their homes start to flicker too much, crazy as we think that is! However, flickering lights can definitely be indicative of more substantial problems, including bad wiring.

There are a lot of reasons why wiring may be compromised, from clumsy contractors damaging it when doing some project around the house to vermin chewing through wiring when they hole up for the winter. Whatever the cause, take those flickering lights seriously and have us investigate matters further.

Hot Spots on Walls

If you ever feel a hot spot on your walls or on your electrical outlets or switches, you need to contact an electrician immediately. Seriously. This could be dangerous. The same goes for any burning odors that turn up when you are using your electrical system.

Electricity, obviously, can generate heat. This is how electric stoves, ranges, and furnaces work. However, you don’t want electrical heat building up in your walls. That means that there is a problem with your wiring and, yes, fires can happen. Your safety should always come first.